My pet peeve: "revealing" speakers


The one word that bugs me the most in all of the audiophile world is "revealing." 

It's plenty descriptive but it's also biased.  What I mean is that speakers that are revealing are also usually quite colored. They don't unveil a recording, they focus your attention by suppressing some tones and enhancing others. The reviewer who suddenly discovers hearing things he has never heard before and now goes through his entire library has fallen for this trap hook line and sinker.

This is not always true, as some speakers are revealing by ignoring the room.  They can remain tonally neutral but give you a headphone like experience.  I'm not talking about them.  I'm talking about the others.  I  wish we had a better word for it.

Mind you, I believe you should buy speakers based on your personal preferences.  Revealing, warm, neutral, whatever.  I'm just saying this word is deceptive, as if there were no down side when there is. 

Best,

Erik
erik_squires
Revealing is an oft used audio term that means about nothing in actual sound attributes.  Often it is applied to things that sound awful but are expensive.
Revealing could also mean high resolution.

Which IMO is a desired characteristic of a great system.
Some of you seem to be reading material differently than I do. Revealing done right should be a positive, not sure where some get the idea it’s a bad thing. There are other words that are, and should be used when it’s meant as a negative. 

p05129
112 posts08-22-2020 7:04pm

Excuse millercarbon, he gets paid by how many threads/posts he can answer/start about Tekton speakers.

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Look I been on the take for years, now if I could just get paid for it..
I’m a major advocate, of speakers that haven’t been made for almost 9 years. Talk about revealing. I’m nuts... I almost bought a 40 year old pair of dipoles. RARE! I still might. First time I’ve ever seen a pair for sale.

That’s telling me. People just don’t sell them, WHY? They must be so revealing, that’s all I can figure... 15 years of looking, 1 pair.

Ok, ok, maybe not political enough, I’ll try to stay on topic. OP

Them speakers are better than those speakers, how am I doing?
Because those are on the LEFT, and those are on the RIGHT. BUT I’m slightly right of center.

That’s revealing. Oh, to much. OK, you can stop reading right after "posts" the second time. Just sayin’ :-)

It’s Saturday night, still 88 degrees and to hot to play the stereo.

What else am I gonna do?

Regards
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